The present invention generally relates to disposable secondary articles useful for bolstering the effectiveness of primary absorbent articles. More particularly, the present invention relates to disposable secondary articles useful when there is a need to provide a lotioned surface on the bodyside surface of a disposable primary absorbent article such as a disposable diaper.
Disposable diapers and incontinence products are designed to absorb bodily fluids such as urine and watery feces. Skin wellness is generally maintained by absorbent products which absorb bodily fluids and present a dry surface to the skin of the wearer. However, there are times when the skin covered by an absorbent product can become red, irritated, and sore. During these times, skin wellness can be enhanced by contacting the skin with lotion designed to protect the skin from further harm and to promote healing of the skin.
The application of moderate amounts of lotion to the body-side liner of a primary absorbent article is known in the art. However, some caregivers prefer to apply large quantities of lotion to irritated skin. While a caregiver could apply the desired quantity of lotion to the primary absorbent article or the skin of the wearer, the application process can be exceedingly messy, resulting in lotion all over the fingers and hands of the caregiver. It is impractical for the manufacturer to apply large quantities of lotion to the body-side liner of packaged primary absorbent articles for several reasons. First, many caregivers do not want to use large quantities of lotion. Applying the lotion to the packaged articles would leave the caregiver no choice whether or not to use the lotion. Second, large quantities of lotion applied to the body-side liner of primary absorbent articles tend to migrate into the absorbent core of the primary absorbent article when packaged. Therefore, there is a need for a lotioned secondary article that can be purchased separately, that can be used only when needed, and that can be positioned within a primary absorbent article while maintaining the lotion on the body-side surface of the primary absorbent article.